The present invention relates generally to a tongue plate for a seat belt and more specifically to a tongue plate usable in a 3-point seat belt system.
Self-locking tongues or latch plates are commonly used to tighten and secure the shoulder and/lap portion of a seat belt around the occupant. These self-locking tongues or latch plates must be capable of sliding (free running) on the webbing in order to provide a proper fit over the occupant and must be able to lock i.e. cinch, during crash situations to prevent loosening of seat belt portion to properly protect the occupant.
Typical of prior art latch plates are the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,408,707 and 4,871,190 which use a detachable cover and a slide bar. One problem with these latch plates is that if for whatever reason the cover is removed, the lock bar will fall out thereby disabling the operation of the latch plate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch plate assembly which is both free running and cinching. A further object of the present invention is to provide a latch plate assembly which is lightweight. An additional object of the present invention is to provide a latch plate which is simple to assemble.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.
According, the invention comprises: a latch plate assembly comprising: a plate having a tongue formed at one end thereof, and a back portion opposite the tongue. The tongue including means for receiving a locking mechanism of a cooperating buckle, such receiving means including at least one aperture formed in the tongue. The back portion includes a front cross bar and a rear cross bar and sides joining the front cross bar with the cross bar, forming an integral unit and further including a first opening of sufficient size to receive seat belt webbing (36). A web guide, fabricated of a synthetic material such as Nylon 6/6, is insert molded about the rear cross bar. The web guide includes an elevated or raised member and a base or lower member. The raised member is spaced from the base member and rear cross bar. The raised and lower members cooperate to define a web guide slot, positioned above a plane containing the rear cross bar and laterally extending to receive the seat belt webbing. The base member includes a sloped surface extending away from the first opening and a first engagement surface extending laterally across a rear side of first opening. The latch plate assembly additionally includes a cover typically fabricated of Nylon 6/6 slidingly received about plate. The cover comprises first and second side members, a top crossmember and a bottom crossmember. Each of the first and second side members includes a slot through which is received a corresponding side of the plate. The top crossmember joins the first and second side members and is slidably received relative a top surface of the front cross bar. The top crossmember also includes a rib which extends into the first opening so as to engage a front side thereof when the cover is slid forward on the plate and to compressively load the seat belt webbing against the first engagement surface when the cover is moved rearwardly. The top crossmember may optionally include reinforcement means for stiffening same. Such reinforcement means includes a rigid preferably metal bar molded within the top crossmember. The bottom crossmember joins the first and second side members and is spaced from the underside of the plate and the bottom of the rib such that the webbing may extend through the first opening and extend through the underside space forward of the bottom crossmember to exert a reaward pressure thereon.